crust & crave: Real Bread, Real Ingredients, Just Add Water

Bread Worth Baking: The crust & crave Story

In a world filled with quick-fix bread mixes full of bleached flours, oils, and artificial flavors, one woman set out to do something different. Lea Baumli, the founder of crust & crave, believed that the tradition of Swiss breadmaking could be brought into U.S. kitchens without sacrificing authenticity or flavor.

From the moment she started baking, Lea noticed a void in the market: a lack of genuine, artisan-quality bread mixes that were both simple to make and made with the kind of ingredients that tell a story. After years of perfecting her craft, she combined Swiss heritage with modern simplicity, creating a bread mix line that only requires water to turn unbleached grains, wholesome seeds, and real dairy into fresh, homemade bread. This was the birth of crust & crave.

Authenticity at Its Core

What sets crust & crave apart in the crowded bread mix industry is its unwavering commitment to authenticity. Unlike conventional bread mixes that rely on cheap oils, sugar, and artificial additives, crust & crave stays true to its roots. The company uses unbleached grains, real seeds, and dairy to produce a wholesome product with unmatched taste and nutritional value.

“Our focus has always been on offering a product that’s not just convenient but also true to what bread should be real, wholesome, and nourishing,” explains Baumli. “I wanted to share the Swiss breadmaking traditions I grew up with, while making it simple enough for anyone to recreate at home, without relying on any shortcuts.”

Simplicity That Delivers

The heart of crust & crave's appeal lies in the simplicity of its product. The mixes are crafted with the same care and precision that Swiss bakers have used for generations, but with a modern twist. The instructions are simple: just add water, mix, and bake. The result? A perfectly crusted, moist, and flavorful loaf of bread.

For those who have always wanted to bake artisan bread at home but felt overwhelmed by the process, crust & crave offers an accessible solution. “Breadmaking doesn’t need to be complicated,” says Baumli. “With our mix, we’ve taken out the guesswork and allowed people to enjoy real bread with minimal effort.”

Filling the Gap Between Mass Market and “Fake Artisan”

There is a distinct gap in the bread mix market, and crust & crave fills it perfectly. Unlike cheap commodity mixes that often use lower-quality ingredients, and the overly expensive, “fake artisan” options flooding the premium market, crust & crave offers something that strikes the perfect balance: premium quality with real value.

“Bread is such a basic food that should be nourishing, but most mixes out there compromise on quality or authenticity,” says Baumli. “We’ve found a way to bring the artisan quality you’d expect from a bakery, with the convenience of a mix, at a price point that makes sense.”

crust & crave has quickly garnered attention for its commitment to quality. “We’re making it possible to bake real, honest bread at home,” Baumli proudly states.

The Mission: Empowering Home Bakers

At the core of crust & crave is a mission: to empower people to bake honest, nourishing bread at home. The company’s wholesome mixes allow people to enjoy fresh, homemade bread without compromising on health, taste, or quality. Baumli’s vision extends beyond simply offering a product; it’s about educating and inspiring people to embrace the art of breadmaking with integrity.

“We want to make people feel like they’ve accomplished something amazing when they bake our bread,” Baumli says. “Bread is so much more than a food it’s a tradition, a way to connect with our past and nurture our future.”

The heart of crust & crave lies in a promise to maintain high standards from the quality of the ingredients to the final product that comes out of the oven. “It’s not just bread. It’s something people can feel good about eating and serving to their families.”

What’s Next for crust & crave?

crust & crave is on a mission to continue growing, introducing new products, and offering more ways for people to experience the joys of homemade bread. The brand plans to expand its product line, offering more varieties of mixes while maintaining the same high standard of authenticity.

As the company grows, Baumli remains steadfast in her commitment to delivering real, artisan-quality bread to people’s homes. “I’m excited to continue this journey and help more people experience the joy of baking,” she says. “There’s nothing quite like the smell of freshly baked bread.”

Bake Real Bread with crust & crave

Craving the authentic taste of homemade bread in your own kitchen? It’s time to experience crust & crave for yourself. Visit crust & crave today to explore their full range of premium mixes, or follow them on Instagram at @crustandcrave for the latest updates and tips for your next baking adventure. It’s time to make bread the way it was meant to be simple, nourishing, and full of flavor.